Song of Shadows
by Jaxrond
Summary: It should be illegal to be that good looking. At least that's what Terra said. Talia agreed. It really wasn't fair that for a mage like him to exist, someone who could be so strong and yet so kind. He was the Shadow Dragon of Sabertooth, the sort of man her father warned against. He wasn't at all a Prince Charming from the tales she told her niece. But, maybe, for her, he could be.
1. The Storyteller

_Sirens are strange creatures. Born from a very special magical pearl that is found in only certain parts of the world, they are especially rare. They live very long lives, some say centuries, and are known for their unearthly beauty. You see, when a Siren is born, she emerges with hair and skin of the same hue as the shell of her pearl, and feathers to match. These colors are lovely and pale with a soft sheen, like the abalone found within the clam shells from which they hatch. They are creatures of magic. Created by magic, made beautiful by magic, and deadly because of magic. Their voices are unparalleled, capable of the most beautiful song that any other race could ever be unfortunate enough to hear. Unfortunate because, within these lovely creatures, lies a thirst for blood. They use their songs and outward beauty to lure unsuspecting travelers in and then feast upon their flesh._

 _Or so the stories go._

 _Not much is truly known about Sirens. Some say that they are just myths, others swear that they have seen them in real life. But, no matter what others say, there is one story that is most certainly true._

 _Sirens, in general, are rather unsociable creatures. Aside from venturing out to feed or to protect their territory, they remain solitary. That is how it always has been. Until, one day, the rarest of pearls hatched a Siren of an odd disposition. Most Sirens are white, as that is the most common color. The rarer the color of the pearl that the Siren hatches from, the more esteemed the Siren is among her sisters. This Siren was hatched from a blue pearl, and her birth was greeted eagerly. However, the others quickly realized that this new hatchling was odd for a Siren. As she grew, she developed a strange interest in the outside world. Rather than wanting to kill humans, she expressed a need to speak with them and learn about them. The others tried to persuade her that humans were undesirable creatures, and that she should give up her foolishness. They used kind words to change her mind, horrific stories to frighten her from seeking out humans, and even worked their powerful hypnosis magic to make her forget about her dream. Nothing worked. If anything, the forbidden nature of her desire only caused it to grow. To the point that, eventually, she left her home and ventured into the world of men._

 _While Sirens are very distinctive creatures, they do have the ability to pass for human for short periods of time. This was how the young Siren blended in with them long enough to ask her questions and observe the creatures that had fascinated her for so many years. She found a great joy in her interactions, a joy that her sisters could not understand. For a long time, she was safe in her explorations. She would act as a human for a good part of the day and find a water source for the night. Sirens are water creatures, after all. They can't be away from it for too long. This routine of sorts served her well until, one day, a man with horrible intent took interest in her and followed her to what he believed to be her home. Imagine his surprise when the woman he had thought was so beautiful slipped into a nearby lake and released her transformation and returned to her true form: a creature with skin and hair of palest silvery blue, and wings like the clearest sky. Enraptured by her unearthly and exotic appearance, the man rallied a few of his friends and, together, they waited for night to fall again. Then, they went to the lake, knowing that she would be there. Under the moon's watchful eye, they found the poor Siren sleeping in a nest of reeds, partially hidden by the boughs of a willow. Quietly, they closed in, intent on their prize._

 _She awoke too late, warned by the snap of a twig under one of her attackers' boots. Frightened and startled, she screeched, unleashing her magic to defend herself. Despite the sound attack, the kidnappers were relentless. They pressed in before she could dive below the water or use her wings to fly. They took her wrists and ankles, producing rope to bind her, and had even brought a large strip of cloth to restrain her wings. Despite her screams and struggles, there were too many for her to fend off. Her sisters' warnings of the cruelty of mankind came back to her, and she realized that, in some regards, they had been right._

 _Just when the young Siren had resigned herself, bound and gagged, to the fate that faced her,_ he _appeared. A man clothed in only simple traveling garments, who moved like the wind. He asked no questions pertaining to the situation and gave no reasons for his being there when asked by the offending men. With an inhuman speed, he rushed through the attacking group, taking the Siren from them and reappearing a few feet away. Then, turning back to them, he spoke only one word-_

" _Stop."_

 _The resulting sound attack was enough to drive the men back. After all, they were still reeling from the Siren's defensive measures, and they had no magic of their own. Unwilling to fight one who was so obviously a wizard, they fled, leaving their prize behind._

 _Carefully, the wizard set the Siren free, wary of frightening her further. He smoothed her hair and her feathers, murmuring soft assurances to calm her. He expected her to run when freed, but, she merely huddled on the ground next to him, unwilling to leave. Confused, he asked why she did not run from him. She replied that, as he had surely saved her life, she was indebted to him. Surprised by this, the wizard quickly assured her that he had no wish to hold her to such a bond. However, she would not be swayed, and, suddenly, the wizard's act of kindness had won him a surprising new companion. When he departed from that place and continued on his journey, he was followed by the Siren._

Talia paused in her storytelling to catch her breath. Around her, on the floor of the guild hall, sat nearly twenty children of varying ages, all of them fixated on her as she spoke. One was nestled on her lap, her small head leaning back against Talia's chest as she fought against sleep. The eldest of the group was at least fifteen, and was holding a young child of his own, having brought him there to hear the tale. When she stopped speaking, a number of the children scooted forward, almost panicked.

"Don't stop, Talia!" cried one girl, reaching out to tug at the mage's pant leg.

"Yeah! What happens next?" a boy on the other side of the small crowd backed her up.

Talia smiled, readjusting her hold on the child in her arms. The girl shifted sleepily, sucking in a sharp breath as she returned to full awareness for just a moment.

"Mhm, auntie, more…" she mumbled.

Talia's smile grew with her amusement. She cocked a pale brow at the children before her, taking in their eager expressions.

"But you all know this story," she said in faux thoughtfulness, "I really could just stop it there…"

"No!"

The collective cry drew the attention of a few of the wizards who milled about the Learnaean Hydra guild hall. Many of them either smiled fondly or immediately dismissed the sound. The presence of a large number of children was a common occurrence, what with one of the members being Fiore's possibly most gifted storyteller. The doors of the guild were often left open in the warm months so that the breeze could carry inside, usually bringing with it members of the community. The children came year round, though, they were somewhat discouraged in the winter. Talia had been known for her storycrafting since her earlyteen years, and her reputation had only grown over time. At eighteen, she was much beloved by all of the children who frequented the guild hall, and many who did not. She never turned down a request from them, though, they usually asked for the tale of "The Siren and the Wizard" and its sequel "The Princess and the Demon".

Around them, the guild operated as usual. The small group sat on the wide walkway that led from the front door to a raised platform, where a large chair and desk sat. They were more for show than actual work, as the guild master operated from a separate office. But, he did use the desk to receive visitors and special requests. Behind the desk was a board for the posting of job requests. Off to the sides of the platform at the end were small tables for congregation and meals, a bar against one wall. On either side of the walkway were long pools of water that were in constant motion, lapping gently at the edges of the path. On the opposite sides of the pools, along the walls, stood busts of well-known guild members, flanked by large statues of five-headed hydras.

Talia's own bust was located on the southern wall, next to the guild's most famous wizard: the shadow mage, Nox. The stone replica bore the same soft smile that endeared her to her young audience. The one she gave them now was a bit more mischievous.

"Are you sure?" the young woman mused, tapping her chin with one hand, "I'm feeling a little tired, you know…" she stifled a fake yawn.

This drew a mix of giggles and indignant cries from her audience.

"Talia!" one boy groaned dramatically, "I wanna hear the part when the wizard and his friends kill the demon!"

A number of concurrences sounded. Talia smiled.

"But that's not until the end of the second story. We can't skip ahead."

"Then keep telling, Talia!"

"Yeah!"

"Finish the first one then do the second one!"

"Tell us about how they fell in love," a girl in the front sighed dreamily.

Laughter finally broke free from the wizard before them. She wrapped both arms around her niece, who had begun to doze in her lap, resting her chin on the girl's head and grinning unrepentantly. She enjoyed teasing her young friends far too much.

"Alright, if you guys insist…"

She cleared her throat and began to speak again, her voice falling back into the soft tones she used when storytelling.

 _Despite the wizard's numerous attempts to send her away, the Siren insisted that it was the way of her kind to repay life debts. Seeing that he had no choice, the wizard took her into his home. He was not alone, as he had a young son. The Siren had never had a chance to meet a human child, and the boy piqued her curiosity. His mother had died not long after his birth, and he had been raised primarily by his father and the guild to which the wizard belonged. He found the Siren to be interesting, and held no fear for this inhuman creature. The wizard asked that the Siren repay her debt by looking after his son, since he was often away on dangerous missions. She agreed, and, soon, she and the boy came to love each other. Sirens cannot have children, they are hatched from pearls. The opportunity to care for a child was one that she never would have been able to partake in had it not been for her odd situation. She did her utmost to ensure that the young boy wanted for nothing, and showed him affection in the way she had seen the human mothers doing. She praised his accomplishments and mourned his failures. When he trained with his magic, she helped him in what way she could. When he had nightmares, she used her Siren's voice to chase away his fears. The boy, who had never had a mother, quickly grew attached to the Siren. With his father often away, she became the most important person in his life, filling the void his mother had left._

 _The wizard was not unaware of the bond forming between his son and the creature who had tied herself to him. Part of him was afraid. Sirens were mythical creatures, known for their brutality when it came to men. But, another part of him knew that this particular Siren would never harm the child she'd come to love. Before long, he himself loved her too, his heart drawn to her by the way she cared for his son and the dedication she showed to the boy. The Siren, happy with her new life in the wizard's home, slowly became a part of the human family, filling the hole left by the death of the wizard's wife. Within only a year's time, she and the wizard became married, and she became even more dedicated to the two humans who had come to mean so much to her: the man who had saved her life, gaining her heart in the process, and the child that she loved as her own._

 _But, all good things cannot last. As the years of happiness went by, one after the other, the Siren realized that her husband and her son would continue to age, as all humans do, and that she would remain unchanged. As her husband grew old, she would look as she always had, and her son would all too soon physically appear to be the same age. And, then, one day, they would die, leaving her alone. She fell into despair, breaking under the weight of the realization. The wizard, concerned for her, asked what he could do to help allay her fears, what would make her happy again._

 _A child, she told him. A child that was both a part of her and a part of him, one that would possibly age more slowly than a human. The existence of such a child would mean that the Siren would not lose her family so quickly. A part of her love would live on in their child, with her. The wizard agreed, understanding that this solution could be the cure for her depressive state. Before long, through a bit of magical aid, she conceived a baby and the family was happy again. Soon, they would have a new addition, one that was unlike anything the world had seen before. A halfblood child had never before been created, to their knowledge. The baby would be so wonderfully unique, the only one of its kind in the entire world, and that made it all the more special._

 _Unfortunately, in her eagerness for a child, and in the joy the family felt at the imminent arrival of the baby, they had all forgotten one very important thing. Sirens do not give birth. They are hatched. No one foresaw this as a complication. By the time they realized the danger, it was too late._

 _Finally, the time for the baby to be born came. At first, everything seemed to be going well. Then, things went horribly wrong. The Siren had been weakened considerably by carrying the baby, and she did not have the strength to survive the birthing. She died, almost immediately after the child was delivered, barely living long enough to see that it was a girl. Likewise, a half Siren child was an anomaly, and it seemed that Death had stretched out its claws to strike again. But, it had not realized that the wizard's will to keep his daughter alive burned brighter than the most brilliant flame. He did everything he could, utilizing everything that his wife had shared about her kind, to keep the child alive. For weeks, he remained practically glued to the little girl, ensuring that she ate properly, was hydrated adequately, was immersed in water often enough for her Siren blood to be appeased, and was cared for in every other way necessary. His son, driven by the grief of his mother's loss, helped him in every way. Together, father and son nurtured the Siren's child, keeping her alive until the day that she was finally strong enough to survive as any other baby would. The guild came around them, supporting them and helping them in any way they could. Together, they raised the daughter from an infant to a little girl with a voice like that of her Siren mother and hair as blue as the rarest of pearls. Over the years, she grew both in beauty and magic, the first, and only, child of her kind._

"The end," Talia finished.

Immediately, she was met with a cacophony of response.

"Only of the first part!" someone said.

Many of the children nodded eagerly in agreement. It was obvious that they felt cheated.

"Tell us about the demon!"

"The one that tries to take her away!"

"Yeah! Tell us about how the wizard beat him!"

Talia sighed, glancing at the clock that hung on the back wall of the common room. It was ticking into the afternoon. With a small, apologetic shrug, she looked back to the children.

"I'm sorry, my friends, but it's almost two o'clock. You know what that means."

A few of her audience members groaned. Two o'clock was the time at which a number of the children, those who did not have relatives within the guild, were requested to depart. It was at around this time that guild members who had gone on assignments began to straggle in, and, despite the guild's enjoyment of having the children there, many of the mages wanted to rest after finishing their missions. A gaggle of children pestering them for details was hardly restful. Not to mention, there was also the chance that someone would return with a gruesome injury or story to share, and they would rather the children not be exposed to that.

"Come on, time to head home."

Talia shifted her niece so that she held the child in one arm, the girl's head flopping listlessly against her shoulder. At the age of four, she really was getting too big to be held, but, Talia had a bad habit of spoiling her. Grunting slightly with the child's weight, Talia stood and began the process of shooing her audience away. Those whose parents or other family members were guild members scampered off to other parts of the hall, some of them chattering about going swimming in the pools that framed the walkway. Many of the community children bid their goodbyes and ran off to return home, calling back requests for the sequel story to be told the next day. A few playfully clung to Talia in rebellion against leaving, nearly dragging the slender wizard over. Laughingly, she herded them to the open doors and pushed them through, struggling to keep her niece on her hip.

"Aw, come on, Talia! Just one more! It won't take long."

"I don't wanna go yet!"

The mage shooed them off.

"You'll have to wait to hear another story! I should be in tomorrow if a job doesn't come up, okay? Now go on! And don't bother my guildmates about their jobs, okay?"

With some mutinous muttering and reluctant agreement, the remaining children finally departed, scattering down the front steps of the guild hall and disappearing down the street that led from the massive doors. Just beyond the Learnaean Hydra compound walls was the valley that lay outside Crocus, the capital city of Fiore. Only a half mile distant lay one of the gates that led into the great city itself. Talia remained where she was, standing at the central building of the guild's property. From there, she could easily see the road that ran past their guild and ensure that the children made it safely back inside the city. Once there, the ever-watchful city guard would take over, and she knew that nothing bad would happen to the young ones on their way home.

Keeping Ash tucked against her side, she absently patted her niece's back, sharp grey eyes tracking the children's progress as they ran down the road. A few times, they had left the path, resulting in her needing to go track them down and return them home herself. But, after those few times, she'd frightened them enough with warnings of "I'm watching" to ensure that they stayed the proper course.

Most parents would be wary of allowing their children outside the city, even such a short distance. It was only Learnaean Hydra's reputation that soothed the minds of those parents that did so. Though not as high ranking or powerful as the other guild that lurked outside Crocus's walls, they were much better liked. Their popularity didn't lie in their strength, but in their willingness to help in any way necessary, and to take even the small jobs that didn't pay much. Talia smiled softly as the last child from her audience made it safely through the gate. Many of these children's parents worked during the day, leaving their little ones to run about with little supervision. Talia was a godsend for these families. Her numbers had been low today since it was a day that many of the parents were allowed off from work. It wasn't uncommon for her to have as many as fifty kids crammed into a corner of the guild hall, listening while she told them a story or sang them a song. Recently, she had needed to reach out to a few of her fellow guild members for help with bringing in new material. The children, for a reason she didn't quite understand herself, loved her. And they loved the guild and its members. It wasn't uncommon for them to stop a Learnaean Hydra member in the streets of Crocus and ask them questions about their most recent jobs, or for the families of the little ones to offer the guild wizards a seat at the dinner table.

While Sabertooth was known for its strength and physical prowess, Learnaean Hydra was a guild of people's champions. They kept the children out of trouble, helped old women with their shopping, and even saved kittens from trees for small fees. Talia's storytelling and entertainment was free, but, for a small price, she would ensure that her audience members had a good lunch, as provided by herself and her sister-in-law. Popularity and being well thought of didn't pay for food, though. The guild's main source of income, of course, came from the bigger jobs.

Talia's gaze turned to beyond the city. That was where her brother, Nox, was at the moment. Where he usually was. As the guild's strongest S-class wizard, he was almost always away from home, leaving his daughter and wife to wait at the guild. Hydra had four S-class wizards in its ranks, a good number for any guild. But, with Sabertooth literally just over the rise, competition for big jobs was tough. All four of the top wizards were almost always away, working hard on the most dangerous of jobs to bring in large amounts of money and maintain the guild.

That would soon change, Talia thought with a sigh. At least, it would if her father's plan went accordingly.

Ash stirred slightly, jolting as she scared herself from slumber with a light snore. Talia laughed quietly, her thoughts brought back to the present. She turned, heading back inside. As she passed between the tall, white pillars that flanked the golden doors, she began to hum softly, patting her niece's back rhythmically in time to the song. Ash was at the age when sleeping and playing were all she wanted to do. Her mother, Terra, promised that it was just a phase, but, Talia not-so-secretly thought it was an indicator of future laziness. Biting back an amused smile at the memory of Terra's less than impressed expression, Talia strode down the walkway, narrowly avoiding being splashed by the children who had already jumped into the water. There was a time when those pools had been for decorum, but, that time had passed long ago, when Talia was a small girl.

At the end of the walkway, where the desk stood on the raised platform, the guild's master had appeared to rifle through documents. Talia shook her head slightly. As soon as the children left, he would suddenly emerge from his office. A tall man with a head of close-cropped grey hair and an equally grey beard, Ladon Drakos stood with a surety that did nothing to betray his age. A comfortable outfit consisting of sweatpants and a matching shirt made him look more like an irresponsible loafer than the guild's master, but anyone who was familiar with him knew he was anything but irresponsible, or a loafer. Her father was well respected both in Crocus and beyond.

Ladon glanced up when he heard her approach. His lips curved into a fond smile.

"I see that almost all of the little ankle biters have gone home for the day."

Talia made an amused sound, shaking her head. Her long hair shifted over her back, pale blue catching the light from the still-open doors.

"You enjoy having them here, father. Admit it."

"Hmph," he signed off on a completed job form, "Perhaps. When they aren't all clamoring at the same time."

"It's not so different from what normally goes on in the guild. We aren't exactly a quiet bunch."

Ladon waved a hand dismissively, his pen still held in his calloused fingers. Mage or no, the guild master had done his fair share of physical labor over the years, and had earned every wrinkle, callous, and scar that marked his skin.

"The sound of happy wizards is different than the shrieking of those little monkeys, and you know it. My old ears can't take much more of it, Talia."

Talia rolled her pale eyes in mock exasperation. The playful argument was an old one that neither side had won.

"Well, then, I suppose that you don't want this little monkey, either? I could just keep her, you know…"

The guild master glanced up as she turned to show him the still-sleeping girl in her arms. The little girl's brown hair was sticking up in odd places and lying flat in others. One strand dangled over her slack face before being blown sharply away with each exhale. As soon as he laid eyes on his granddaughter, the old man's gaze softened. He finished one last signature and set his pen down, stepping around the desk.

"That's not fair at all, Talia," he opened his arms, taking the sleeping child from his daughter, "Using poor Ash against me like that. For shame."

Talia's grin was unrepentant. As the girl was passed between them, she jolted awake for a moment, sensing the shift. Upon realizing what was going on, she gave a sleepy smile.

"Hi, grandpa," she murmured happily, immediately tucking her head under his chin, "I sleepy," the statement was punctuated by a wide yawn that showed two missing teeth.

Ladon chuckled, rubbing her back with one hand, his other arm wrapped around her legs to keep her in place.

"I can see that. You go ahead and keep on sleeping. Grandpa will hold you for a while."

"Okay."

With another yawn, she nuzzled closer to his chest. Within moments, she was snoring softly again, her mouth hanging open.

Talia smiled as the old man sat down in the high-backed chair behind the desk. Holding his granddaughter with one hand, he continued looking through the paperwork with the other. With the guild wizards coming back for the day, they would be bringing numerous reports for their guild master to review, paying the small fee that came with being part of the guild, and perhaps even looking for a new job to pick up for the next day. Ladon had to be present for all of that. There were rare exceptions when he was away, at which point one of the senior guild members would handle the day-to-day things, but, on the whole, Ladon stayed home in Crocus. That way, he could be with his family and his guild, watching his granddaughter grow up.

It was a bit amusing, just how much of a homebody he was. Four years prior, he had been given the title of Wizard Saint. Talia chuckled, remembering how, when he'd been officially been granted the title by the chairman of the magic council, he'd acted humbled and almost embarrassed. Afterwards, though, when his old friends from his previous guild had thrown him a celebratory party, he'd asked "what am I supposed to do with this title? Put it on a plaque on my desk?". He never had been one to like it when attention was drawn to him. Despite his grumpiness at his title, though, Talia suspected that he was secretly pleased to be so recognized as one of the great few.

Ladon glanced up at her and frowned.

"What are you standing around for?" he asked, "Don't you have something to do in the city?"

Talia gave him a blank look. Then, her eyes widened in realization and remembrance.

"Oh! I completely forgot!" she quickly retreated from the platform, "Thank you, dad!"

The guild master sighed, shaking his head as his daughter ran down the walkway, towards the front door. As famous as the girl was for her singing and storytelling, she could be so scatterbrained. His eyes cut to the wall near the bar, where guild members had cut out and framed pictures and articles that featured their fellows. _Sorcerer Weekly_ covers and articles, newspaper headlines, and group photos covered the wall. The pale blue hair that marked his daughter was the most prominent on the _Sorcerer_ side of things. She was a humble girl, more concerned with spending time with her young audience than working her professional angle. He snorted in exasperated amusement. If it weren't for his reminding her, or the reporters and agents showing up from time to time, he doubted she would care to remember that she even operated on a professional level. But, a girl with a voice like hers couldn't escape the spotlight when the reporters were constantly sniffing around for things to write about. Ever since Fairy Tail had disappeared, seven years earlier, the other guilds had been given a chance for bigger roles in the popularity contests of the magical world. Blue Pegasus was as prominent as ever, and Sabertooth and Lamia Scale certainly got their fair share of features. But, when Ladon had been granted the title of Wizard Saint, Learnaean Hydra had been put on the proverbial map. The reporters had come seeking to interview him, and they had stumbled across his daughter's talent as she sang to the children who so often gathered in the hall. Next thing the guild knew, their little Talia was rising in stardom as a wizard musician.

Ladon looked back towards the door, watching as Talia paused to greet one of their returning wizards, a young woman named Kassandra. The blonde woman, dressed in flowing whites and golds, gave her a soft but tired smile, exchanging a few pleasantries. Kassandra was another one who had caught the public's eye when Learnaean Hydra gained popularity. A beautiful but shy woman, she was often called upon to act as a model. She didn't particularly enjoy it, and often turned down jobs because of her refusal to undress beyond certain levels, but, she did it for the sake of keeping the guild's name fresh in the minds of possible clients. Ladon brought a hand to his chin, rubbing his beard. With Talia set to produce another record over the next few weeks and Kassandra scheduled for a wedding dress photoshoot soon, they would be seeing a spike in job offers. That was usually how it went. One of their guild members would do something to get their name out in the public eye and, for a while, job offers would pour in. Then, they would taper off until the next spike in popularity.

Ladon was looking to change that.

In two months' time, Crocus's Grand Magic Games would again be held. In past years, Learnaean Hydra had entered a team just to help the viewers remember their name. Recently, however, Ladon had realized that this wasn't enough. They would have to throw their most powerful available wizards into the mix in order to show off their power and abilities, so that clients would understand just what the guild had to offer. And if they won…

The old man smiled wryly as Kassandra bid Talia farewell and made her way tiredly up the walkway. It was unlikely, but, it would be icing on the proverbial cake.

"Good afternoon, master."

Ladon's smile became more genuine as Kassandra stopped before his desk.

"Good afternoon, Kassie. Did you have a safe trip?"

The blonde woman nodded, her curls bouncing with the movement of her head. Her bare shoulders were littered with faint bruises from her most recent mission to slay a beast that had been wreaking havoc in a town a few day's journey from Crocus.

"As safe as could be," she held out her mission report in one white-gloved hand, "It was a success."

Ladon's smile widened.

"Good! It's good to have you home. Get some food in you and head on over to the dorms, alright? You'll need your rest after all that."

Kassandra gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you, master. I'll be sure to do that."

With a fond glance at Ash, she left the platform upon which the desk sat, making her way towards the bar. A few of the guild's members were already making use of the tables there and called out greetings and questions about her job. Ladon watched her thoughtfully before turning his eyes back to the open doors, his hand coming up to rub his beard again.

"Hm…a team of five…" he murmured.

Of course, having put a team into the games every year that they occurred, he knew the rules. A team of five was necessary. The guild master could not participate. And according to the news he'd heard, a second team could be entered. Of course, they would have to begin training straight away with the games so close. But, if he entered who he had in mind, they would be fine without too much extra training.

Reaching one rough hand into a drawer of the desk, he removed a folder that contained a current roster of Learnaean Hydra members. Of course, it had been carefully enchanted so that only those who bore the guild's insignia could view it, since it was so easily accessible. A more official record was kept safely away in his office. He laid the folder on the desk and flipped it open, making sure that he didn't rouse his granddaughter in the process. She would be cranky if she didn't get her full nap in. Staring up at him from the first page was a picture of his eldest son, Nox. A fond smile curved the old man's lips. Soon, the boy would be returning from a very long mission. Ladon would do his best to ensure that he stuck around at least long enough to complete the games. His son needed some extended time with his wife and daughter. He was also the strongest S-class wizard the guild had. A natural leader and respected guild member, he would be the perfect center for the team.

Ladon turned the page. Talia smiled up at him from the page, her statistics printed next to her photo. He never liked the idea of putting her into a situation where her powers would be shown off, but, he trusted that she would be as discreet as possible. She had in past years. As their second-strongest, she was an obvious choice. He sighed softly. Both of his children in the games…it would be a nerve-wracking year for sure.

Looking up, he watched as Talia ran through the gate at the front of the guild's compound, her guitar slung across her back, her blue hair streaming out behind her. She had changed from her previous t-shirt and jeans to her preferred work clothes. Tight black pants hugged her legs, leading down to the glass shoes that her sister-in-law had given her for her birthday. The guild master still did not understand why anyone would want glass shoes, but, both women insisted that they had some sort of magical properties that couldn't be found in other shoe types. As soon as he caught sight of her top, though, all thoughts of those ridiculous shoes disappeared. His eye began to twitch. The shirt, if it could be called that, wrapped around her chest, exposing everything above and below. Billowing sleeves hung off her shoulders and cinched just below her elbows.

Ladon slapped his hand to his face. For a girl who insisted she would prefer not to draw attention to herself, she certainly dressed in a way that said otherwise. He swore he could feel a hernia developing every time she went out dressed like that, midriff bared for all the world to see. At least she kept her hips and backside covered with a sash of sorts. Though, in all honesty, he would prefer she wrap it around her stomach to cover the bare skin.

The guild master pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering vehement remarks about how he was too old to have a daughter that dressed in such a way.

* * *

 **Hello and welcome to the first chapter of _Song of Shadows_! This is Melissiaew and I's latest story idea. Don't worry, _Survivor and Seeker_ fans, I am actively working on the next update! It's just gotten super long and we're trying to figure out where to end one chapter and begin the next without things being weird for the plot. This story, like the others, came into being when we had a 'what if' moment at work. I mostly wanted to write this because it's been so long since I wrote a romance and am feeling the need for one. SaS's romance is so sidelined and Unwilling Sword is so dark that I needed some fluff in my life!**

 **I hope you enjoy what's to come. I am speeding ahead with this story and am already well into the next chapter. Just to clarify, this chapter is set two months before the X791 Grand Magic Games. I will admit that I have stuck strictly to the anime (skipping filler arcs), which may cause some differences in details for you manga readers.**

 **Please, leave a review and stick with us for the next update!**


	2. New 'Friends'

Talia was panting by the time she reached her destination in one of the plazas that dotted Crocus. She did love her sister-in-law at times like these. Nox and her father would never understand why they liked those glass shoes so much. They looked incredibly fragile and uncomfortable, but, appearances could be deceiving. It had cost Terra a fair bit a jewel to get them, what with all the spells put on them. Enchantments for comfort, stability, sturdiness, silence, temperature resistance, and liquid impregnability were the ones they knew about. They were both fairly sure that there were other, smaller charms on the shoes that were more for the sake of appearance. They seemed resistant to dirt and grime, for instance. Her father and brother could call them vain women all they wanted, but those shoes were amazing. She knew from experience that she could run for miles in them without any sort of cramping or blistering.

Of course, that knowledge, and the timely manner in which she made it to her job, all relied on the fact that she _could_ run for miles. Just because she didn't often take combat jobs, didn't mean she was lax in her training. Being the daughter of the guild master, she felt that she was pushed even harder than the other members. Her father said she really didn't have to meet a higher standard, but, she felt like she needed to set an example of sorts. Her morning routine began with a long run through the valley outside Crocus. This was followed by an upstream swim in the river that cut through the valley. She knew the river well enough to avoid the more dangerous sections, and preferred to keep to the milder current that ran not too far from the guild hall. They were strong enough to present a challenge, but were not so strong as to be dangerous. Then, during and after breakfast, she studied and practiced magic. It was a good routine. She usually began it at around six every morning so that she could watch the sun rise as she ran, and was finished by around nine with a whole day ahead of her. Her sister-in-law, Terra, would often join her for her run before going back to the guild to get Ash ready for the day.

As much as Talia loved her niece, it was watching Terra that made her sure that she was nowhere near ready to have her own children. Settle down with a man, maybe. But, definitely not children. She could see herself having them later in life, after she'd had a few adventures worth speaking of. Talia was a romantic at heart, it came with being a storyteller. She was waiting for that right guy. Maybe not a Prince Charming, but the right guy to spend the rest of her life with. She didn't want to be like her guild mate, Freya, who had been through more breakups than anyone could count because she didn't love deeply and had a new lover every week. Neither did she want to be like Ophelia, who fell in love too fast and too hard, and had thought she'd found the man of her dreams, only to be rudely awakened when he ran off with another woman. She wanted what her brother and Terra had, a sweet romance that had been slow to build and was unshakeable because of the faith and trust they had in one another. That was the kind of relationship she dreamed about. Children could come afterward.

Breathing heavily, Talia brought her focus back to the task at hand as she reached the plaza. She had been hired to entertain at a birthday party in the city, which, while it wouldn't pay as much as a combat mission, was much preferable to traveling about like Kassandra had needed to. Looking around the plaza, she marveled at what it had been transformed into. The entire area was decorated for a party, with flowers and balloons and streamers pinned up and hung from posts and trees. Tables dotted the plaza and a catering service was already set up off to the side. Talia smiled when she saw the tall cake that had been put on display. The party was set to start at two-thirty but, already, people were mingling and drinks were being passed. Carefully, the young mage skirted the gathering crowd, searching for her employer. It didn't take her long to be recognized.

"Oh, Talia, dear!"

Talia fought back a flinch at the high-pitched voice. Giving a polite smile, she turned towards the sound. A skinny, elderly woman was hobbling quickly toward her with the aid of a cane, numerous furs wrapped around her too-thin frame to ward off the chill that came with old age. Her thin, pale skin stretched awkwardly in some places and sagged in others. She moved in the odd, jerking way that bespoke arthritis and stiffness in the joints. Despite the troubles that came with age, though, she wore a wide, happy grin as she bore down on the singer.

At the age of eighty, Lady DeVous was one of the wealthiest nobles in Crocus. She was known for her charity work and philanthropic giving of her wealth, but, she could also be more than a little overbearing. It was this old woman that the party was being thrown for. She would be turning eighty-one within a few days' time and, of course, the party celebrating another year of her life would be extravagant. Of course, she wouldn't be holding it indoors, no. She had taken up this plaza and beyond, ensuring that even the uninvited guests from her beloved city would be welcome. Even her birthday party would be used to help the poor. Looking at the table the old woman had just left, Talia was unsurprised to see a family from one of the financially-lacking districts, eating well on the food provided for them.

"Hello, Lady DeVous. How are you?" the mage asked as the Lady approached.

Lady DeVous waved a hand airily, hobbling at an impressive speed to Talia's side.

"Fine, fine! Just hoping that we'll have enough food for all the people who have said they'll come," she reached up and patted the younger woman's shoulder, smiling, "It's good to see you, dear. So glad you can be here. I do so love hearing you sing."

Talia's smile turned more genuine. Despite the old woman's tendency to shriek when excited, she was truly kind. Due to their mutual desire to help the community, she was also one of Learnaean Hydra's biggest benefactors. She hired them for everything she could think of. Even if Talia hadn't been well-known for her singing, Lady DeVous would have called on her to provide entertainment.

"I'm glad to help. Is there a specific place you want me?"

The Lady looked around thoughtfully.

"Hm, where did they…I know they brought…ah, yes!" leaning on Talia's arm, she lifted her cane and pointed to a makeshift stage on one side of the plaza, "There! I had them set up some microphones for you. Maybe that pretty voice of yours will let people know where the real fun's happening."

Talia couldn't help but laugh as the old woman cackled happily.

"I'll do my best. Thank you again, Lady DeVous."

Lady DeVous waved her off, her attention already drawn by a few of the new arrivals. Realizing that she had taken as much of the Lady's attention as could be allotted at this time, Talia made her way over to the stage they'd given her. It wasn't much, just a stool with two microphones standing before it and a few speakers placed around it. She could see others around the plaza, there to ensure that her music reached all corners of the party area. Humming as a warm up, Talia laid her guitar case next to the stool and removed her instrument. It was of a simple, basic design, made of wood and painted with ocean waves. Smiling, Talia settled onto the provided stool and plucked lightly at the strings, ensuring that everything was tuned correctly. Then, when she was satisfied, she began to play.

Singing and playing an instrument was one of her favorite pastimes. It was more than a hobby, though. After being picked up by her agent and offered numerous opportunities to record albums and put on concerts, it had become something of a job. She treated it like any other job, taking it one performance at a time. Her father wished she would take it more seriously, but, she didn't see why. Singing was what she did for fun. It didn't require magic, just the utilization of her own talents and skills. While her magic did revolve around music, she didn't use it often outside of actual missions or training. Usually, her jobs consisted of just singing or storytelling. And, honestly, she wouldn't have it any other way. She enjoyed these performances far more than fighting.

As she worked through the pieces she had planned for the event, before she'd forgotten what time she needed to be there, she fell into the familiar rhythm of the music. These were songs from her original album, the ones she'd written and memorized long before anyone had said they wanted them recorded. It was flattering to think that people wanted to hear her music badly enough to buy a lacrima full of it, but, she honestly just liked to sing. And that was it. These old, familiar songs were the ones she enjoyed the most. They were the ones that made people happy, the ones the children sang with her.

The party progressed, more and more people arriving. Sometimes, guests would dance or sing along with music they recognized. Often, partygoers called out greetings and encouragement to her, to which Talia would respond with a nod. She continued to play as the afternoon wore on, taking occasional breaks. During these breaks, she would go out and interact with the guests, picking at food from the catered buffet, sipping at glasses of whatever nonalcoholic drink Lady DeVous was offering the public at the time. A few of her regular audience members were present at the party and managed to coerce her into sharing the sequel to the story she'd told them earlier by convincing Lady DeVous that the party would be much better with a good story being told. Talia had forgotten just how devious those children could be.

Once it came to be around four thirty in the evening, the party began to wind down. Talia was playing her last set, a series of slow, lazy songs that were meant to help with bringing the mood to a close. She strummed over the strings of her guitar, singing softly into the microphone before her. As she crooned out a slow love song, couples danced in front of the stage, ranging from young children to Lady DeVous and her husband. They swayed in time with the music, talking softly to each other. Talia smiled a bit ruefully. She had written this one because, even if she hadn't had a love interest in her life before, she wanted to give those that did something to enjoy. Still, every time she played it, she couldn't help but imagine dancing with someone. His hands resting on her hips while her head rested under his chin.

She brought the song to a close, plucking out the last few chords. There was a pause as the last note carried for a moment, as if it were bidding its listeners 'adeiu'. Then, applause erupted. Talia dipped her head in a nod, graciously accepting the shouted praise and thunderous clapping. When they had showed their appreciation, the dancers dispersed. People in varying attires showing their equally varying social statuses wandered off with their partners, happily chattering about inane things. At last, only one of the stage-front audience remained. Talia didn't notice the single listener until she reached for the water that sat at the foot of the stool, when her eyes were drawn downward. As soon as she caught sight of them, she paused, brow furrowing just slightly.

She had never seen anything quite like this audience member. The little creature stood at just the right distance to have a clear view of Talia while remaining close enough to the stage to avoid being caught up in the crowd of much larger beings. The singer cocked her head, trying to figure out what, exactly, it was. It appeared to be a cat wearing a pink frog suit, which had to be one of the oddest things Talia had ever seen. The cat smiled at her with wide eyes, it's happy expression unchanging as it continued to stare up at her.

Reaching up, Talia turned off her microphone, smiling quizzically at this strange little creature. Judging by the way it was grinning, and its upright stance, it was most definitely not a normal feline. She had heard of sentient cats called Exceeds, but, she had never seen one in real life before. Perhaps this little creature was one of them?

"Hello," she greeted, a bit curiously.

The cat's smile widened and it raised one paw, its tail swaying.

"Hello to you too!"

A flash of surprise ran through her when it replied. A talking, green cat in a pink frog suit. Talia never thought she would meet such a creature. It must be an Exceed. There was no other explanation.

"What's your name?" she asked.

It seemed like the next logical question. She'd never had a conversation with a cat before, so, she wasn't sure what kinds of social rules applied. The cat threw both arms up in what seemed to be excitement at having been asked.

"I'm Frosch!"

Talia couldn't help but smile. The little cat was truly adorable. It just seemed so… _happy_ to be there, in its little pink frog suit, talking to her.

"It's nice to meet you, Frosch. I'm Talia."

Unsure of what else to do, the mage knelt awkwardly at the edge of the stage and extended her hand, her guitar squeezing against her. Frosch bounced forward and rose up on tiptoe to put one paw against her hand. She gave a small, gentle shake, fingers lightly tucked around the cat's paw.

"I know who you are," Frosch assured, "Fro heard your music and came to see you!"

Talia cocked her head, unable to keep a surprised expression off her face. She released the cat's paw and sat back on her heels.

"You came to see me? Because of my music?"

Frosch took a few steps back from the stage to better see Talia, and gave a single nod.

"Uh-huh. Fro really likes Talia's music. It's good for dancing!"

As if to give a demonstration of dancing, Frosch pranced in place, turned in a circle, and then smiled widely at Talia from a finishing pose. The songstress gave a somewhat bemused laugh. As puzzled as she was by this odd little creature, she couldn't deny that it's earnestness in everything it said was very sweet. Her surprise began to melt away as Frosch giggled in return to her laughter. Sitting fully on the stage, she let her legs dangle over and carefully shifted the microphone stand aside.

"I'm glad you like it so much! It means a lot when people tell me that, since I really enjoy writing it."

The cat seemed to smile even wider at that.

"Are you done playing for today?"

Talia hummed thoughtfully, glancing at the partygoers. They were beginning to wander off. Some would remain for a good while yet to chat and socialize, but, her contract was technically finished. She had been asked to stay for a certain amount of time, and that time was up. She could leave whenever she wanted. But, one more look at Frosche's face convinced her that it wasn't quite time to leave yet. After all, he had said that he'd come specifically to see her.

"I don't have to be if you'd like to hear another song."

She didn't expect the effect that the offer had on the little cat. Frosch stared up at her, paws flying up to cover his mouth.

"A song just for me?"

Talia gave a nod, smiling.

"Of course. If you want to hear one, I'll play it for you."

Frosche looked up at her for a moment more. Then, the cat bounded forward, clambering up onto the stage next to Talia. She helped her little listener up and waited until he was settled beside her. Then, she settled her fingers into the proper positioning.

"Any requests?"

Frosche cocked his head, thinking for a moment.

"Hm," he looked up at her again, "What's your favorite?"

The songstress was taken aback by that question. No one had ever asked her what her favorite of her songs was. She was used to others telling her what their favorites were. She had to ponder for a moment, mentally shuffling through songs until she arrived at one that she felt suited the position of 'favorite'. With a soft smile, she began to strum her guitar.

" _In this wide land we wander, filled with its long roads and danger,_

 _I can never tell when I'll see your face again. So I stay at home and pray_

 _Pray that there will come a day, when your smile again lights up my whole world._

 _I just hope that you'll come home again, safe at journey's end._

 _If I could be there with you, you know that I would. But even o'er this land,_

 _On the road that never seems to end, my heart goes with you, my brother and my friend."_

As the song continued on, Talia's eyes slipped shut and she felt herself pouring her heart into the music in a way that she hadn't during her previous sets. This song wasn't just something she had written at the urging of her agents or guild mates. This one was one of her special songs. She had written it for her brother, who was so often away on missions. Nox and her father had, at one time, been her whole world. When her father was working to establish Learnaean Hydra, something she vaguely remembered from her early childhood, it had been Nox who had taken care of her. Her elder by seven years, he had always been very serious about his brotherly duty to protect and care for her. For many years, she had been practically glued to his side. Over time, they had played together, trained together, and worked together. And then he had achieved the rank of S-class.

Suddenly, Nox went out on missions without her much more often than before. They spent more and more time apart. It had been difficult for her, exceedingly so. In the hopes of things returning to what they had been before, Talia had driven herself to strive for S-class as well, clawing her way into the position through rigorous training and hard work. She had succeeded, but, the position had not gotten her what she wanted. Instead of again working closely with her brother like before, she had been sent on her own difficult missions. For a long time, she'd been heartbroken by the realization that those lighthearted days of childhood and youth were gone forever. Then, Terra had come into her life and taught her how to simply wait and pray.

" _Your brother is a hard worker. Sometimes, I wish he wasn't but…I wouldn't change him for anything. He knows we're waiting for him, and I know he wishes he could be here with us instead of off alone. But, he can't, and so, when he goes on those missions, I send my heart with him, so that he won't truly be alone. That's what most of the guild does, I think. No matter where we are physically, our love and our thoughts are always with our members who are away."_

With the memory of her sister-in-law's words in mind, Talia's fingers picked out the ending of the song, bringing I to a close. She was still for a moment, eyes still closed as she sent a small prayer for her brother and the other members of her guild who were not home.

She had almost forgotten her companion until a small touch alighted on her arm. Her eyes opened and she looked down at Frosche.

"Are you okay?" the cat asked, a bit concernedly.

Talia was confused by the question at first. Then, she felt the wetness on her cheeks.

"Oh!" she hadn't realized that, caught up in the song, she'd begun to cry, "I'm alright," she wiped at her face with one hand, giving a somewhat embarrassed laugh, "That song's just very special to me."

Frosche seemed to almost glow with happiness when he heard that. He kicked his feet, tail waving.

"You played your special song just for me? That's so nice!"

Another small laugh bubbled up from the songstress, this one caused by the cat's contagious good spirits.

"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. It's about the people who are close to my heart," she looked down at Frosche, smiling, "Do you have anyone like that?"

Frosche nodded.

"I do! My best friend, Rogue, is like that!"

The name struck something within Talia, a tone of recognition. It was faint enough that she let it slide.

"That's wonderful!" she replied, "Do you spend a lot of time with your best friend?"

Frosche nodded again.

"Yes! I'm with him almost all the time…"

The little cat trailed off, his cheerful demeanor suddenly deflating. He blinked, almost as though something clicked inside his head. Then, he looked around, as though searching for something. Talia watched him, frowning as worry at the his sudden change in behavior crept through her.

"Oh no," he said after a moment, "Fro is lost again…"

"Lost?"

Frosche looked down at Talia's question.

"Yeah. I get lost a lot…Fro was with Rogue and Lector and Sting and saw a frog. The frog led me over here and I heard your music. Fro likes your music a lot and came to listen…but now, Fro is lost."

As soon as she heard his explanation, Talia's mind went into overtime. The 'best friend Rogue' that Frosche had mentioned had to be Rogue Cheney of the Sabertooth guild. She didn't know of any other Rogue, much less one who could be mentioned in conjunction with Sting. Neither were very common names, and, in Crocus, they applied exclusively to the Twin Dragons. While one part of her processed this, the other was immediately trying to plot the best course of action to help Frosche. He was beginning to quiver, like he might cry. If Rogue really was his best friend, then it was likely that he was looking for him. However, instead of wandering the city and hoping to bump into him and return Frosche safely, she might have a better shot taking him to the Sabertooth guild hall personally. It wasn't too far, just at the edge of the city. She frowned slightly. Neither idea was appealing. Learnaean Hydra and Sabertooth were, for all intents and purposes, rival guilds. Sabertooth had an infinitely higher standing, and, truly, more brute power, but, Learnaean Hydra was the only guild in Crocus that even came close to matching them. Sabertooth didn't like that they could, potentially, be a threat. And Learnaean Hydra didn't like Sabertooth's overall arrogance. A run-in with the Twin Dragons was definitely not on Talia's to-do list for the day. But, just walking up to the guild hall, even for the purpose of returning Frosche, might be the same as asking for a fight. She had no doubt that she would endure ridicule and the guild trying to start something at the very least. And, as strong as she was, she had no delusions that she could singlehandedly stand against Fiore's strongest guild alone.

She looked at Frosche, pity for his situation warring with her own opposition to getting involved with Sabertooth in any way.

Tears gathered in the little cat's eyes and spilled over, a soft whimper leaving him.

That alone sent Talia careening towards a decision. With a soft sigh, she reached over and laid a hand on Frosche's head, rubbing between the eyes of his frog suit. She had been fooling herself, there was no way she would have chosen any option but one that helped this little one.

"It's alright, Frosche, don't cry. I'll help you get home," she soothed.

Frosche looked up at her, his expression hopeful through the tears.

"You will?"

Talia nodded once, smiling softly. He reminded her so much of the children she saw every day. Her caretaking instincts had kicked in full force.

"Let me pack up and we'll get going, okay?"

Frosche rubbed his tears away, his smile returning at the promise of Talia's help.

"Okay."

The songstress got up, returning her guitar to its case. Everything else was up to Lady DeVous' hired help. She glanced around to make sure she wasn't supposed to take anything else. Then, after briefly bidding Lady DeVous 'good evening' and asking her to send the payment to the guild hall, she and Frosche left the plaza.

It was a bit odd at first, having the cat walking alongside her, but, she quickly got used to it as they struck up a conversation. As they walked through the streets of Crocus, making their way toward the Sabertooth guild hall, Talia discovered that Frosch was actually very knowledgeable about her music. He told her about the first time he'd heard one of her songs, a piece she'd released early in her career, and how he'd liked her music ever since. He had gotten so excited when he recognized her playing from the plaza that he had immediately run over to listen, completely forgetting about the frog or being lost. Talia enjoyed simply listening to him talk. His voice was so sweet and there was a wonderful innocence in the way he spoke. He asked her all sorts of questions about what Learnaean Hydra was like, since "Fro has only ever been inside Sabertooth".

She described the guild to him, the small, three building compound with its fountains and gardens. She told him about the beautiful white pillars and the reliefs and frescos that mark the buildings, the statues that line the garden paths and stand in the fountains, and the artistry of the buildings' designs. She shared with him the memories she had of spring, when the flowers of the gardens were in full bloom and the sound of birds was what she woke to in the morning. She talked about life in the guild dorms and rooming next to Kassandra. About helping Terra with Ash and what it was like to be the guild master's daughter. Frosche listened attentively, sometimes asking her questions when she finished telling him about one thing to move her on to the next.

The walk through Crocus passed quickly that way. The sun was beginning to set by the time they turned down the road that led into the neighborhood in which the guild hall was located at the edge of the city.

"Hydra sounds like a lot of fun!" Frosche chirped, continuing to plod along in his pink frog suit, "Can I come visit sometime?"

Talia smiled.

"That would be lovely, Frosche. I would love for you to visit."

Not that she thought that would ever happen. If he was Rogue's friend as he said, she doubted that he would ever be allowed to come to her guild hall. Still, he seemed so excited about the idea that she couldn't bear the thought of crushing his hopes.

Frosche looked up at her hopefully.

"Can Rogue come too? Even though we're from Sabertooth?"

Talia jolted, eye twitching.

 _He hit the nail right on the head…_

She gave a somewhat nervous smile.

"If he'd like to. I'm sure my father wouldn't mind if you came to visit me."

"Yay!" Frosche gave a little hop.

Talia's smile turned a bit more genuine. She was trying to imagine Frosche and the Shadow Dragon of Sabertooth strolling through Learnaean Hydra's gardens when she picked up a pair of very powerful energies approaching at a very high speed. It wasn't uncommon to sense powerful magical presences within Crocus. Being a guild wizard, she was surrounded by them constantly. But these were on par with the other two S-class Hydra wizards, Ajax Raptis and Caenis Athans, and their speed suggested an attack. As they neared, she got a clearer sense. No, these two were above Ajax and Caenis's levels. They were at least as strong as she was, if not more so.

Talia's smile dropped as instinct took over, years of training replacing conscious thought. She positioned herself protectively in front of Frosche, one arm extended slightly as if to cover the little cat. The soft expression she'd worn before was replaced by a stern look as she prepared to face down her attackers. She had known venturing into Sabertooth territory was risky, but, she hadn't expected to be jumped as soon as she neared the guild hall. As far as she was from Learnaean Hydra, even if word got back to them, help would arrive too late. She couldn't face down two such powerful attackers and hope to leave unharmed.

"Stay down," she said lowly to her companion, "Something's coming."

The change in her demeanor had obviously frightened Frosche, as he scooted closer to her, resting one paw on the back of her calf.

The first strike came out of nowhere. She barely had any warning. There was a sudden spike in power that told her that her attackers were much, much closer than before. Then, a fist was coming at her from the side, aimed at her head. She narrowly ducked the blow, feeling it brush the top of her hair, and retaliated reflexively. With a sharp twist, she threw a kick out and felt it connect with a solid form that almost immediately gave way to nothingness. Her eyes widened. She knew that sensation. She had sparred with Nox enough to know the feeling of when a shadow mage dissolved into their element.

"Stop!" she called, crouching beside the slightly shaking Frosche, "I'm just here to return one of Sabertooth's members!"

Footsteps sounded from the alley to her right. Adrenaline and wariness still coursing through her, she used one hand to hide her small companion, just in case this was someone who didn't favor the little cat.

"Is that so?"

The blonde man who emerged was immediately recognizable. _Sorcerer Weekly_ had done too many pinups and articles featuring him and his partner for Talia not to know who he was. Sting Eucliffe, the Holy Dragon of Sabertooth, stopped at the mouth of the alley, just a few feet away. He folded his arms over his chest, the ties at the tops of his long gloves straining over rather impressive biceps. His bared abdominal muscles rippled with each movement, enough to make almost any woman drool unconsciously. He had recently been named among the "Top Ten Sexiest Mages Alive" and "Possible Boyfriend Material for Lonely Women". Not that she had read those in more than a passing glance. Now, seeing him in person, it wasn't hard for Talia to understand why. If not for the arrogance that practically oozed from him, and the situation at hand, she might have even joined those drooling women. Not to mention, the Sabertooth emblem on his shoulder looked positively threatening as it was pulled taut over his deltoid. She had the sudden thought that he alone could probably pound her into the ground.

Warily, she rose to her full height, mostly so that Sting would no longer be able to smirk down at her in that horribly superior way. She was still a good few inches shorter than him, but, at least now, she could meet his eyes without looking up too far.

"Yes," she replied firmly.

Behind her, she heard a very faint whooshing. She dared to glance back and saw that Sting's partner, Rogue Cheney, had finally come out of the shadows. He regarded her with cold eyes that reminded her disturbingly of the color of blood. Though he lacked his counterpart's arrogance, there was a frostiness about him that was equally unwelcoming.

"Rogue!"

Frosche darted out from behind Talia and scampered to the Shadow Dragon, colliding with the mage's leg and wrapping his arms as far about it as he could. Talia glanced back at Sting, every nerve within her still on edge with the threat of an attack. He hadn't moved, still standing in the mouth of the alley, sizing her up. She looked to Frosche again to see that Rogue was gently maneuvering the cat behind him, where he would be slightly hidden by the mage's cape. It was a bit insulting, the way he acted like she would threaten Frosche, but, she didn't linger on it. Now she knew why those two presences had been so very powerful, and that her assessment of their power had been correct. There was no way she could take on a pair of Dragon Slayers alone, much less these two, whose teamwork was as acclaimed as it was. Fortunately, they didn't seem to be openly hostile at the moment. Standoffish, yes, but not hostile.

"What were you doing with Frosche?" Rogue demanded.

The first thought Talia had was that he must have been the one who attacked her. The second was ' _oh, he really does have a voice like dark velvet'_. That had been the comment in _Sorcerer's_ "Possible Boyfriend" list.

Not liking the accusation in his tone, Talia drew herself upright, placing one hand on her hip. Her Learnaean Hydra guild mark stood out proudly against the pale skin just inside her left hip, the five headed serpent coiling over her hipbone and up towards her ribs.

"As I stated before, I was returning him to the Sabertooth guild hall. Frosche told me that he was lost, so I walked him home."

She did her best to match Rogue's cold tone, but, it didn't come naturally to her. She was normally an upbeat, lighthearted person. She didn't like conflict and she didn't like finding herself needing to be unkind. But, she refused to back down in the slightest. She had the sense that, if either of these two sensed weakness, they would be on her in moments, pressing that weakness to the breaking point.

Rogue looked down at Frosche for verification. The cat nodded, smiling.

"I'm sorry I got lost, Rogue! Fro found a frog and followed it. Then, Fro heard Talia playing and went to listen. She played a special song, just for me!" he paused, obviously overcome with happiness at the memory, "Then I remembered I was lost and Talia brought me here!" he turned his big eyes on the songstress, "Talia is very nice to Fro."

Talia allowed her lips to tug upward slightly. A slight scuffing behind her caused her to look back to Sting quickly, still wary. He moved closer, curiosity replacing arrogance. He paused just half a foot away and leaned towards her slightly.

"Talia? The singer?"

Before Talia could reply, she heard movement from Rogue. As uncomfortable as she was due to Sting's nearness, she was still tense and waiting for this to turn violent. She glanced his way and found him approaching much slower than his partner. He sighed.

"You didn't recognize her, Sting?"

Her eyes flickered between the two Dragon Slayers. Even though they had relaxed, she still didn't like the situation. Every instinct within her was screaming to get away quickly. They still had her positioned between them, and there was a wall at her back when she turned slightly to keep an eye on them both. At least Frosche was on her side. That gave her some small measure of comfort.

Sting's eyes flickered over her face and then moved down to the guitar. They trailed downward to the guild mark on her bare stomach.

"Huh. I didn't at first," his smirk slowly returned, "Guess I just never thought that a Hydra would wander into Sabertooth's territory. That takes guts."

Talia figured that it was as close to a compliment as he could give with his head shoved so far up his own backside.

"I was just helping Frosche. He's been perfectly sweet and is possibly the nicest fan of my music I've ever met. I'd be remiss in not at least ensuring he got home safely."

"So you planned to walk him up to the gates of the Sabertooth guild and knock?"

Rogue had come to a standstill a foot and a half or so away, thoroughly boxing Talia in. Even though his tone had lost its coldness and was just flat, she could tell from his body language that he was still untrusting. The way they had moved to trap her showed that they didn't plan on letting her go until they had verified that she truly wasn't a threat. Smart, but annoying.

"If I had to," she replied calmly, "In all honesty, I was hoping to bump into you beforehand. Frosche said you were his best friend, and I doubt that a Learnaean Hydra member would be welcome at Sabertooth."

Sting leaned back from her, no longer invading her personal space.

"Got that right. Master would probably have kicked ya to the curb, if one of the others didn't tear into ya. You're lucky we got to you first."

Talia turned a deadpan look on him. She had traded being 'torn into' at the guild's gates for being ambushed from an alleyway.

"Yes," she drawled, "Exceedingly lucky."

She could tell from the way his eyes flashed that he had heard her sarcasm.

"Where are you heading, now that you've succeeded?" Rogue asked.

He was much chattier than Sorcerer made him out to be. As a mage who admired other strong mages, Talia normally might have enjoyed swapping questions with him. But, in the current situation, it was a bit annoying. And that one in particular was a bit creepy.

"Home."

She stifled the urge to add "not that it's any of your business", knowing that it wouldn't help her get away from them in a timely manner. Frosche, who had remained watchfully silent since his explanation, piped up.

"We could walk you home!"

A mixture of admiration and mortification tore through Talia. Admiration that the little creature could be so very sweet, mortification at the suggestion that the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth walk her home. She could just see it, the way her father would stand impressively on the steps of the main hall, exuding alpha male dominance. The way Terra would press her for gossip. Not to mention, she would be stuck walking across Crocus with Sting Eucliffe, who seemed to think he was Heaven's gift to the world, and Rogue Cheney, who, though undeniably attractive, had an almost tangible gloom cloud hanging about him.

She immediately pasted on a smile, cocking her head to the side sweetly.

"That's very kind, Frosche, but, I think I can make it back."

"No, Frosche is right."

There was a long moment of awkward silence in which both Sting and Talia stared at Rogue. He looked back impassively. Never, in a thousand years, had the songstress ever thought that he would agree to his small friend's suggestion. She glanced at Sting to find him looking both surprised and amused.

"You sure about that, buddy?" the blonde man asked.

Rogue gave a single nod.

"Consider it repayment for helping Frosche. It's getting dark and Crocus can be dangerous at night. I'll ensure you return safely to your guild," he said to Talia.

She continued to stare at him, her brain still struggling to process what he was saying. How had they gone from him trying to punch her in the head to _this_?

Frowning, she unconsciously gripped the strap of her guitar case with both hands, tugging at it where it hung over her chest.

"Um…thanks. That's…nice. But, I _am_ an S-class wizard, you know…and the guildmaster's daughter. I've been on plenty of dangerous missions…I think I can handle city nightlife…plus, my dad's probably already freaking out."

"All the more reason for us to leave now."

It was like he hadn't listened to a word she had said, except what he wanted to hear. Talia's frown deepened. Rogue's expression remained bland, his red eyes unreadable.

"I'll be fine. You don't need to walk me home," Talia said a bit more firmly.

Sting had taken a step back, as though to clear the way for an ensuing argument. He looked thoroughly amused now.

"The longer you argue with me, the more time you waste," the Shadow Dragon pointed out.

Talia's frown turned into a scowl. She was a nice person, but she refused to be pushed around by a tenacious Dragon Slayer. She opened her mouth to reply.

"And do you really want to deny Frosche to chance to repay you?" he interrupted.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. That was dirty. That was a seriously low blow. And he knew it, she could tell from the smirk in his eyes. Sting coughed, apparently to hide a burst of laughter. Talia's eyes darted to Frosche, who was staring up at her with an almost hurt expression.

"Fro wants to make sure you're safe…and to see the guild you talked about…" he almost whimpered.

It was like a shot through the heart. She very nearly staggered back. As it was, she forced a tight smile onto her face, deciding in that moment that she would like nothing more than to punch that smug look right off Rogue Cheney's face. It wasn't often that she felt that way about anyone, but, the way he had maneuvered her into doing what he wanted stoked a flame of anger within her.

"Fine, then, you can walk me home," she turned a sharp look on Sting, no longer caring if he could pound her in a fight, "Are you coming too?"

He raised his hands in mock surrender, shaking his head.

"Nope, Lector's probably worrying about me right now. I'll be heading back to the guild," he gave her a grin, bearing his sharp canines, "Don't worry, Rogue'll take good care of you."

She sent him a slightly glowering look, wishing he would just go back to being an arrogant snob rather than teasing her so familiarly. Then, she spun on the heel of her glass shoe, flipping her long hair as she forced herself not to storm off.

"This way," she managed to say evenly, "Please don't stray. Father's going to be insufferable enough with me coming home late with a tiger in tow."

Rogue fell into step beside her, Frosche happily skipping along next to him.

"Don't worry, I'll try not to cause issues for you."

Talia's eye twitched when she heard his deadpan tone. This was the first time she'd ever met the man in person and, already, she wished she hadn't.

* * *

 **Welcome to chapter two! Thanks for sticking with us! I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. We've met our first canon characters! Frosche is probably my favorite anime character of all time and I was so happy to get to introduce him so early on. Even though the characters have referred to him as both 'he' and 'she', I've decided to go with 'he' since Rogue calls him 'little buddy', which is pretty masculine. Plus, we see Frosche spending a lot of time with Rogue, which might be a little odd if Frosche was female.**

 **I hope that Rogue and Sting weren't OOC. This is my first Fairy Tail fanfic and my first time writing these guys. My cowriter says we're good, but, she's got the background knowledge of what's coming up in the plot. Please, let me know how I'm doing writing the characters!**

 **On to reviews!**

GuardianSapphire and FallensPain1122 **: Thanks so much for the compliments! And on the first chapter! Wow! That means a lot. I hope you enjoy the continuing story!**

 **Please, as a reader you are more than welcome to leave constructive criticism on pacing, characterization, world-building, and so on. Feedback is always helpful!**

 **Thanks so much for reading! See you next time!**


	3. Awkward Situations

The walk back to the Learnaean Hydra guild complex was as awkward as Talia had feared it would be. Frosche tried to keep a steady stream of conversation going by continuously talking to the both of them, but, at first, Talia was still too irked about the shadow mage trailing along beside her to give more than short, direct, polite replies that didn't allow for expansion. Rogue was simply taciturn, responding in one word or a small phrase. A few times, he just hummed in affirmation rather than giving a true answer. Frosche seemed used to this, as the cat would simply take his friend's answers in stride and continue chattering. This continued for a good ten minutes as the trio wound their way through the city. The sun was setting quickly and the shadows lengthening, street lamps were flickering to life and Crocus's night life was just beginning. The first stragglers who would spend their night at a local tavern or wandering the street with friends passed them. As well-known as the both of them were, and as well-known as the rivalry between their guilds was, they were drawing a number of stares and whispers. A few of the men they met who were more familiar to Talia called out "alright there, Talia?" and "having some sort of trouble?". Some of the women did much the same, asking "on your way home, dear?" and "are you sure you're alright?". The songstress waved them off with a good-natured smile, replying that she was just fine. Many of them were the relatives of the children she told stories to or regular clients of Learnian Hydra. That, she thought, was the difference between Learnaean Hydra and Sabertooth. No one was checking up on Rogue. She actually felt a little badly for him. After all, the common misconception seemed to be that he was threatening her in some way.

Rogue barely seemed to notice the commotion they drew. If he did, he simply didn't care. She suspected that it was the latter, and her pitying feelings faded. He walked with his eyes fixed on the path ahead, only occasionally glancing off to the side when something piqued his interest. Talia winced. Her brother was a quiet sort of man too, but, at least he would crack a smile. And he laughed. And he was nice. And he was sickeningly cute when it came to his wife and daughter. Talia was pretty sure that, if Rogue tried a genuine smile, his face would crack. A shame. He really was good-looking, and a smile would have made his face look much nicer.

As if sensing her watching him from the corner of her eye, Rogue's gaze cut to her, red meeting grey for a moment. She flinched slightly and looked away. Getting caught checking a guy out was always embarrassing, even more so when it was this particular guy. The tension between them was almost palpable. She wasn't sure which of them would crack first and break the invisible barrier of silence. Neither of them did. Now that her irritation had been given a chance to be soothed, Talia was starting to feel awkward. Normally, she was outgoing enough to keep up a conversation, but, she had listened to Frosche's attempts to do so and was fairly certain that the Shadow Dragon would be even less inclined to reply to her than he was to reply to his Exceed friend.

As if sensing the uncomfortable levels that the silence was reaching, the cat began to speak again.

"Is Talia going to be singing again soon?" he asked, his wide eyes focused on the songstress.

She looked down at him, one hand gripping the strap of her guitar case to keep it from biting into her chest. She was more self-conscious of the effects the strap had on her top than before, what with an unfamiliar male mage at her side. The shirt was made to securely cover her bust and the wrappings she wore beneath. A regular bra would only get in the way when it came to a fight and a training bra would show due to her wardrobe choices, thus making wrappings a much more logical choice. While not incredibly curvy, Talia was well aware that the way guitar strap laid between her breasts caused them to strain against the fabric of her shirt just slightly. Not to mention, if she wasn't careful, her low collar might be tugged down far enough to reveal her wrappings, which was just as bad as showing a bra. As hyperaware as she was of the Shadow Dragon walking beside her, the threat of that happening was all too embarrassing. She'd literally just met the man, the last thing she wanted was to flash him.

"Hmm," she thought about her reply to Frosche for a moment, "I'm not sure. The reason I was performing today is because Lady DeVous contracted me to sing for her birthday party."

The cat looked a bit sad.

"So you don't normally sing in the city?"

Talia shifted her head from side to side in order to convey that the answer was a bit ambiguous, sending her soft hair rippling over the guitar case on her back.

"Sometimes. I usually keep to the guild hall unless I have an assignment, though. It's my home, after all."

Frosche looked relieved, apparently having thought there was no chance of seeing her again.

"Oh! That's fine! Frosche will just have to come visit you!"

Though Talia had said he was welcome to visit her guild, she hadn't expected that he would take the invitation so seriously. She glanced a bit nervously at Rogue knowing that, even if he wasn't looking at them, he was listening.

"If you'd like to," she said kindly, looking back to Frosche, "I'm sure the kids would love to make a new friend."

"Kids?" the cat cocked his head curiously.

Talia nodded.

"On days when I don't have assignments, we open up the guild hall to the community kids," she paused for a brief moment, "I mean, we do that almost all the time, but, they usually only come when Terra and I are there. They like to listen to me sing or tell stories," she smiled, then, turning her eyes back to the road, "And they like Terra's cooking."

"Does she make yummy things?"

"I think everything she makes is yummy," Talia replied with a grin, "Sometimes, when I'm really annoyed with Nox, I'll hold it over his head that I get to enjoy his wife's cooking more than he does, since he's out on missions so often."

Frosche made an amused sound, not quite a laugh. Then, he skipped ahead so that he was walking closer to her.

"Does Talia cook too?"

Talia was so startled by the question, and what it entailed, that she laughed without meaning to. Frosche cocked his head quizzically at the response, obviously not sure how to take her apparently amused response.

"I'm sorry, Frosche. It's just that, honestly, I'm a terrible cook. I manage to burn even simple things."

She very vividly remembered the day that Terra and her father had decided that she was never to be allowed in the kitchen again. When she was growing up, Nox had done a lot of the cooking, and he was good at it. Her father had been busy with the guild and her older brother had been her primary caretaker. Then, when he began to go on missions, and Talia had no idea how to cook, she took to eating prepackaged foods or those where only the addition of hot water was necessary, with the occasional restaurant meal. Then, Terra had joined the guild and taken over the bar by adding a kitchen in the back and working as a cook for the guild at meal times. With her there, it came to pass that, for a small amount, the Leanaean Hydra members could eat a home-cooked meal in the guild hall. As Terra became more integrated within the guild, before she met Nox, she and Talia became friends and Terra had taken it upon herself to teach the younger woman how to cook.

It was a disaster. Terra had tried and tried and tried again, but, Talia was a lost cause. Despite her efforts, she couldn't seem to do anything right. Whether it was boiling pasta, frying eggs, baking pies, if it involved a stove, she was absolutely terrible. After a week or so of trying different things, she'd been banned from the stove. Then, Terra had tried to teach her how to make cold dishes, like salads. Talia had done just fine, as it was exceedingly difficult to mess up something like a sandwich. But, for the sake of space, she had been removed from the guild's small kitchen, as she seemed to be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Oh, well," Frosche said, pulling her from her memories, "Talia is good at music, so it's okay that you're not good at something else."

Talia gave the cat a smile. He was sweet, always seeming to focus on the good and always maintaining that happy smile.

"Thank you, Frosche."

She glanced at Rogue. The Shadow Mage was still silent, his eyes fixed ahead, giving no inclination of having even heard the conversation. She frowned slightly. With her irritation gone, she felt a bit rude in not at least trying to speak to him. She still felt that he wouldn't actually talk to her, but I wouldn't hurt to at least try. She gave a tiny sigh, not really sure how best to go about this. This was the first time she had ever met him, and she only knew him by reputation. He was infamous for his coldness, though, now that she was in his presence, she thought he was more taciturn than cold. Taciturn, she could maybe deal with. The only other things she knew about him came from _Sorcerer_ _Weekly_. Which she _didn't_ read regularly. Per-say. Neither did she have the latest issue waiting for her on the nightstand for when she returned home. Nor did she have a collection of issues on her bookshelf. Not at all. From what she _had_ read though, in her _quick glances_ , Rogue was quiet, powerful, and a ruthless opponent. Which didn't tell her much, since the magazine was hardly a reliable source.

Still, he had attacked her when she'd gotten close to the Sabertooth guild hall. Without really ascertaining anything about who she was. Was he really just that violent? She didn't think so. He'd been…okay since that point. And had calmed down as soon as Frosche- she paused in her train of thought, grey eyes moving to the Exceed that walked between them. Violence? Or protectiveness? Frosche continued on his way, ignorant of her observation as she looked at Rogue again. Though she'd only met the cat that day, she was certain that he was the purest, most innocent creature she had ever met. Surely, he wouldn't be best friends with Rogue if the Dragon Slayer was as ruthless as his reputation suggested.

Even as she watched, the Exceed stopped, his attention drawn by a number of shining lacrima in a store window. Talia glanced up and immediately flushed pink. Her own picture was plastered on the sign above the lacrima, the words _"Talia Drakos, Crocus's Own Nightingale! Gift Special: Buy One Get One Half-Off!"_ written across the lower portion. It was ten times more awkward than when she usually saw these sorts of advertisements, what with Mr. Tall-dark-and-silent there. Normally, she flinched a bit and simply moved on, trying to ignore the way the photographer responsible for the picture had obviously tried to make her look like she was looking at the audience with a sexy smolder. She didn't…smolder. She wasn't even sure how they got photos like that, but they popped up _everywhere_. She had the urge to cover Frosche's eyes and pull him away from the display. Rogue seemed to immediately notice the way Frosche had stopped. He paused, looking back at the Exceed.

"Frosche," his deep voice carried softly through the air.

Frosche responded as soon as he heard his name, skipping after the Dragon Slayer, smiling widely.

"Rogue! We don't have that one!"

Rogue nodded once, eyes flashing briefly to Talia.

"We can buy it after our next job."

Talia's heart gave an odd little flutter as Frosche gave a happy giggle. He'd talked about liking her music, but, did he really…collect her lacrima? She glanced back at the display and then down at the Exceed. He drifted closer to her as they began moving again, looking up at her.

"Fro has a lot of Talia's lacrima, but that one's new, huh?"

Talia found herself nodding. How was a creature so adorably sweet as him even real?

"Yeah, just a few months old…" she fell quiet for a moment, considering, "Um, Frosche?"

Frosche cocked his head slightly.

"What is it?" he asked unassumingly.

Talia looked ahead, feeling somewhat awkward. She didn't like to really acknowledge her fame in Crocus's music industry. It made her feel like she was holding something over people, or saying she was better than them. But, he was so cute…and had been so kind and sweet and he had even gotten lost just to listen to her…She pressed her hands together, interlocking her fingers tightly, as though doing so would dispel her odd bout of nerves as she pressed ahead.

"I'm in the process of recording another one. A new one. And…if it's okay with you," her gaze darted to Rogue quickly, "Well….would you like one of the lacrima when they come out?"

Frosche's tail tensed, sticking straight out as his eyes widened even further. Rogue glanced at her and then at the Exceed. Did she imagine a little quirk of his lips? She wasn't sure. She was far too concerned by Frosche's reaction. What did it mean?

"If you want it!" she hurried to clarify, "I'm not trying to-"

"Yes!" Frosche burst out, smiling so widely that his eyes closed.

Throwing his paws up in the air, he ran ahead a little, apparently so overcome by excitement that he had to vent it in some way. Talia watched him, surprised. She hadn't been expecting that. The little cat spun around to face her.

"Thank you, Talia! You're so nice!" he all but pranced back to her, "Will you play your special song on it?"

Talia felt her face flush at the praise. This little one would be bad for her ego if she was around him too often. He obviously thought far too highly of her. She reached up, wrapping her fingers around the strap of her guitar case, relieving some of the weight from her chest.

"Ah…I can."

The music lineup had already been approved, but, watching the way Frosche seemed about to burst with happiness made her unable to refuse him that. She was well enough respected to slip in one more song. After all, it had never been recorded before.

Frosche gave another happy giggle, running to Rogue's side to gush at his best friend about just how excited he was that "Talia was giving Fro a present!". As she watched them, she was torn between being utterly embarrassed by Frosche's need to continuously praise her and a desperate wish that he would start joining the children for their daily story time. Learnian Hydra would benefit so much from the sheer amount of cuteness. Plus, Ash would love him.

As they neared the gate, Frosche finished in his expression of excitement and fell into a happy silence, occasionally giggling to himself or looking around at something that had caught his eye. Rogue, who had encouraged his friend only with small replies, was as stoic as ever. And, now that Talia had gotten over her annoyance and trepidation with the Dragon Slayer, she started to feel incredibly awkward. She didn't know how to engage him, not really, so she was leaving him out. They walked in silence for another long minute as Talia wracked her brain for something to say. Something that wouldn't leave Rogue out. Sabertooth he may be, but that was no excuse for her to ignore him. He was walking her home, after all…

She blurted out one of the first things that came to mind.

"It's been nice lately, with all the sunlight. It was so rainy before, I thought the river by our guild hall was going to flood."

She immediately internally kicked herself, fighting the urge to slap a hand to her face.

 _The weather, Talia? Really? You chose the weather?_

She didn't miss the look that crossed her companion's face. It was a hybrid of surprise at her direct comment to him and something like incredulity at her choice of topic. His red eyes met her grey ones and she forced a smile, one that looked more like a wince.

"…yeah, the sun's nice."

His reply came after a pause in which she was sure he was judging her sanity. Talia's wince grew more pronounced. His offer to walk her home had come out of a desire to repay whatever debt he perceived he owed her due to her 'rescue' of Frosche. He wasn't here to chat. She cleared her throat and glanced away, realizing that it was maybe better to remain silent. After all, Rogue was from Hydra's rival guild, and Sabertooth wasn't known for their friendliness. Fortunately, the awkwardness wouldn't last too much longer. The city gates came into view, just a short distance beyond, laid the Learnian Hydra guild hall.

Talia cleared her throat, speaking again.

"You don't have to take me all the way to the guild, you know, I can make it on my own."

Rogue didn't look at her, his eyes remaining on the road ahead.

"Frosche said he wants to see your guild."

The small cat looked up at Talia with a wide smile. She gave a slightly awkward one in return. She wasn't getting out of this, it seemed. They passed through the city gates, between the guards stationed there. Like everyone else they'd encountered, the two men gave them incredulous stares. Was that the Shadow Dragon, Rogue Cheney? With Talia Drakos? Was there some kind of trouble? Talia sighed softly, waving to them as she walked past. Never again. Rogue's weird sense of indebtedness be damned, she was never doing this again.

As they approached the guild compound, the sun sank further on the horizon. Even as Taliia watched, the lights around the compound flared up, lanterns dangling from the jaws of stone hydra's heads glimmering in the twilight. Despite herself, she began to relax. Being this close to home put her at ease. She heard a soft exclamation from Frosch. The angle at which the road approached the compound allowed travelers a clear view of what lay behind its walls. The central building, the largest, seemed to glow as the lights reflected off its white stone. The other two, the dorms, were not as impressive but no less beautiful. Even from a distance, the gardens were visible, faerie lights marking the paths through the plants there.

Within a few minutes' time, they were approaching the gates, two large statues of five-headed hydras flanking them, their mouths closed and their stone eyes regarding those who passed beneath with curiosity rather than hostility. Frosche ran ahead, up to the gate. Then, he paused, looking inside with wide eyes, an awed 'ohhh' leaving him. Talia was about to tell him he could go inside when he suddenly looked up. His usual wide-eyed smile didn't change as he raised one paw in greeting.

"Hello!"

Talia frowned slightly. Who had come out to…?

Ladon Drakos stepped between the gates and Talia immediately felt a flash of dread. He had changed into loose pants and a black shirt under a deep green jacket hemmed in gold. He was smiling at Frosche, yes, but it was that professional smile he gave when he was displeased and doing well in disguising it. This wasn't the laid-back grandfather who let the community children into his hall. This was Ladon Drakos, Wizard Saint and Guild Master of Learnian Hydra. He only dressed like this when there were serious matters to attend to. Talia had known her father would be displeased about her escort, but, did he truly feel the need to put on such a display? Or was he dealing with a different matter entirely?

The Guild Master returned Frosche's greeting with a polite tone.

"Hello to you, little one. What's your name?"

"I'm Frosche! Who are you?"

She didn't miss the way Rogue tensed when Ladon looked at him. Even as powerful as he was, he had walked into a rival guild's territory and been greeted at the gate by their master. She jolted slightly. She hadn't realized…for Rogue, this was just as bad as when she was returning Frosche to Sabertooth. Yes, _she_ knew that her father wouldn't act with hostility unless provoked. But he didn't. She glanced at her quiet companion and found him meeting her father's gaze, expressionless.

Ladon waited until they came to a halt a few feet from him before speaking. His surface smile remained as he observed the dragon slayer who had returned with his daughter, sizing him up.

"I am Ladon Drakos, Guild Master of Learnian Hydra," he finally replied, "I confess, when I realized that Talia would be late, I did not expect her to return home with a dragon in tow."

Rogue did not so much as twitch, eerily red eyes unblinking.

"She returned one of ours. I returned the favor."

Short, to the point, and without inflection. Ladon tilted his head to one side just slightly, considering this. It wasn't that he didn't believe Rogue. Talia was, by nature, very altruistic. Rather, he was wondering at how in the world his daughter had gotten mixed up with Sabertooth in even a small way. Frosche looked back at Rogue and then to the Guild Master again.

"Yes! Frosche was lost and all alone and Talia helped!"

Ladon looked down at the cat, smiling again.

"Did she, now? That sounds like her. My daughter has always been a kind soul."

Frosche nodded happily. Then, something resonated with him. He stilled, staring at the man in front of him with wide eyes.

"You're Talia's papa?"

Ladon chuckled, seeming amused by the small Exceed.

"I am."

* * *

 ***crawls in more than a year later***

 **Oh, hey, look at that, a chapter.**

 **I was at work last night when I realized that I'd left this sitting on my computer and was struck by the need to write more on this story. Thank my cowriter for giving me a little push, XD. I promise that I will try to bring out a new chapter fairly soon! Can't leave it with that awkward cliffhanger after all, can we?**

 **On to reviews!**

lieutenant hawkeye: **Thanks so much for the compliments! Yes, there is definitely a reason that Rogue spoke up like he did before reverting to his usual taciturn self (the reason is hinted at a bit in this chapter). He's acting a little out of character, which is why Sting gave him the weird look he did, but, all will be explained soon! As for Talia's power level, she is a fairly strong mage, but, she does have a tendency to overestimate her own abilities. Which is why she sensed the Twin Dragons and thought 'I might be able to take them' before seeing who it was. Her true powers will definitely be revealed during the games. And as far as Ladon is concerned...he's definitely not a fan at the moment XD.**

o0NerdyTaco0o **: Thank you! That comment means a lot! Especially considering where I started as a writer :)**

Guest (1): **Thanks a lot! I hope you continue to enjoy the story and the future characters who will come into play.**

Guest (2): **Here's your update! Hope you enjoyed!**

 **To conclude, I'll put out a gentle reminder to all that Melissiaew and I do not own any part of Fairy Tail and this is purely fan work. I would also like to inform readers that this story will diverge from the canon plotline in a few significant ways, since it is an AU, but will mostly stay true to the story. As a final bit of info, both Melissiaew and I immensely enjoy taking what I call 'OC Fanfic Clichés' and turning them on their heads to make them workable. As such, there will definitely be one major cliché present, as introduced next chapter.**

 **Next up! Rogue escapes an awkward situation, the Crocus games are coming up, and Talia finds herself with a curious new friend. Stay tuned!**


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